Philosophy Department

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Among PhD programs in the English-speaking world, the Philosophical Gourmet Report ranks UC Davis 4–9 in Philosophy of Biology, 22-34 in Philosophy of Mathematics, 21-36 in Metaphysics, 20-42 in Metaethics and Moral Psychology, and 25-42 in Philosophy of Language.

Our faculty members specialize in a variety of areas, including metaphysics, formal epistemology, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science (especially philosophy of biology and philosophy of physics), philosophy of mathematics, normative ethics, metaethics, political philosophy, history of analytic philosophy, and ancient philosophy. The Department of Philosophy is proud of its commitment to diversity in philosophy; five of its 13 full-time faculty members are women.

The graduate program has both M.A. and Ph.D. "tracks." Students who aim to complete a Ph.D. should apply directly to the Ph.D. track, even if they have not yet earned an M.A. in philosophy. Ph.D. students may earn the M.A. while progressing toward completion of the Ph.D. requirements. The M.A. track is designed for students who do not intend to pursue a Ph.D. in philosophy or who would benefit from enrolling first in a master's degree program. Students who enroll in the M.A. track may, however, later apply for admission to the Ph.D. track if they so desire.

The Ph.D. program accommodates approximately 25 students, including many who have passed their qualifying examination and are working on their dissertations. The student/faculty ratio is approximately 5 to 3.